Ratcheting chain wrench



March 4, 1958. w. BRENNER 2,825,253

RATCHETING CHAIN WRENCH Filed April 2 4, 1956- 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 42 I 34 32 44 l8 I8 I 42 34 46 48 l e I so 1s s2 30 [4 2s "I NVENTOR' HOWARD VI. BRENNER Q ATTORNQEY March 4, 1958 H. w. BRENNER 5 RATCHETING' CHAIN. WRENCH Filed April 24, 1956 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 7,

FIG. I O. FIG.

62 i il u 24 i ii 70 E lg! INVENTQR ATTORNEY or other portions of machine elements for turmng the same, to install or remove parts and for similar opera- This invention relates *toaniimproved ratcheting chain wrench andhas'to'r one of its principal objects the provision of a device of the class described, which includes u wds es Patent a sprocket gearor drum which will act as a winch to wind upa chain, a flexible steel band, a cable or a chainlike coil and thereby serve to grip pipes, nuts, bolts, shatts,

tions.

-One of the importantobjects of this invention is to include in a chain pipe wrench or similar structure, a flexible element which will wind into a reel, whereby the Figurefi is a section onthe brokenline 8-8 .of Fig- Figure 9 is a detail showing one end of the retaining leaf spring .tor the prevention of collapse of the chain. .rigure iu..is another detail showing the length of the lear or ribbon spring as attached to certain 01' the links or the chain. I

Figure ii is an elevation of a portion of the chain showing. more particularly the gripping teeth.

Figure 12 isa section on the line 1A.-12 of Figure 10, illustrating one means of applying the ribbon or leaf spring to the chain.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 14 indicates generally the case of the. improved chain reel wrench of this invention. This comprises preferably a cylindrical element having two cover plates 16 and 18, fastened in place by screws 26. the case has an opening 22 tnerein (Figures 1, 4 and 5) for the insertion of: one end of a link chain 24, the other end or which is firmly'fastened to a boss or lug 26, formmg partof the case 14.

A sprocket 3 0 mounted on a hub- 32 is rotatable in the plates16 and I8- and the hub preferably has a square opening 34 there-through for ready insertion of the corresponding square portion of a ratchet wrench handle 36. The square element or insert 38 of this ratchet reel itself can be'turned' by means of a'removable handle, 3

which handle can .be applied fromeither one of two positions, thereby making the wrench applicable forturnvision of special means for-retaining the chain of such awrench in resiliently extended relationship to the main body 'ofthe wrench itself, whereby there will beno liability of collapse of the chain between operations.

' cated at 40' in Figure 2.

wrench handle is likewise controlled by pawl and ratchet, as is usual in 'theseconstructions, this pawl being indi- An additional case 42 is on one side of the main case i4, adjacent the cover plate 18, as best shown in Figures Another and still further 'importantyobject of the insets of serrations on the case of the wrench, and also on the chain itself, whereby a secure gripping of an object to be turned is accomplished.

Other and further important objects of the invention -will be; apparent from the disclosures in the accompany-- ing drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred. form, is illustrated; in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is. atop view of the:improved multiple ratchet-- line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a section on the broken line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 5 is a section of the case of Figure 4, as indicated by the plane of the line 5-5, but with the sprocket and other parts removed.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the manner of attaching the fixed end of the chain to the case, and also showing the manual release means for the pawl and ratchet assemblage.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 6, looking in the direction indicated.

-Venti0n is to provide in'a two-sided chain reel wrench,

3 and 4, and this case contains a ratchet44, which is .aiiixed in some suitable manner to the hub 32 of the sprocket 30.

Av pawl 46 is mounted on a pin 48 in the case 42 (Figures .1 and 4) and a spring 50 maintains the pawl 46 in cooperative relationship with the ratchet44.

Adisc or cylinder 52 (Figures 1 and7) is eccentrically mounted ona pin 54 in the case 42 and the normal position. of this disc is shown in Figure 1, in which position ..itrallows:'the pawl 46 to contact the ratchet 44. A finger lever-56 is also mounted on the pin 54 exteriorly of the case 42, but in arecess provided for the purpose, and

as bestshown in Figure 6, this finger lever can be moved so as to shift the eccentric 52 into a position to push the pawl. 46 outtof cooperative relationship with the ratchet 44 and against the pressure of the spring '56.

In this way the handle 36 can be freely turned in either direction and releasedof .its' manner of insertion into the case i4- whenever such movement is required or necessary.

'ln'operation one endof the chain 24 is'insert'ed through thel'openirigi22 in the case 14, and thehandle 36, after having its square operating portion inserted in the opening 34, is turned in the proper direction to cause one of the teeth of the sprocket 30 to enter the end space in the chain link 24 and a further turning movement of the handle will then insure that the chain will tighten and will securely grip a pipe, shaft or any other similar object as indicated by the broken lines 58 in Figure 1.

This secure gripping is further accentuated by teeth or serrations 60 formed on the case 14, and also by corresponding teeth or serrations 62 formed on the links of the chain 24, all as best shown in Figures 1, 10 and 11.

Additionally, in order to prevent the chain from collapsing when not in use, or when the wrench is being moved from one object to another, a leaf or ribbon spring 64 is attached to the outer periphery of the chain and this Ivill resiliently hold it in the position shown in Figure One end of this spring 64 is wrapped around one of the rollers of the chain 24, preferably adjacent its point of connection with the lug 26, so that the spring will remain securely fastened as shown in Figure 9, and one manner of holding the spring in position on the chain is illustrated inFigure ,12, wherein inturned flanges or prongs 66 are formed on certain of the inner links, 68 of i the chain, whereby the ribbon or leaf spring can he slipped into position with little or no difficulty;

The chain can be replaced by a steel cable or a flexible steel band or some other element so long as the material used can be employed as a flexible coil which will wind into the case and serve as a gripping element so that the wrench can tighten or remove nuts, bolts, pipes, shafts, or the like, with a positive gripping or vise-like holding.

The two-way multiple system of ratcheting enables the device to be'used for right or left hand movement and a release of the pawl will permit of a freewheeling operation. I

This t urbine-likewheel wrench can be turned from either. side and in either direction, clockwise or reverse.

efficiently operating wrench which is most desirable for one or more of the many purposes intended Any size may be made. 7

This automatic chain reel wrench may be patterned so that it will include an exit forvthe chain similar to the entrance opening. This could be approximately onethird of the distance around thetcasing from the first open ing, thereby providing an extra, long chain retaining element without enlarging the casing to any appreciable extent. veniently handled. This extra. passage or opening may have a slide gate or some such cover whichcould be closed when a short chain is used.

The reel and wrench of this invention can be employed as a chain block for lifting heavy weights by assembling a four-pronged steel jacket over the reel with a hook attached to the iacket opposite from the chain entrance. In this manner thereel can be hung on some support and when the chain is wound inwardly, a roller which rides the chain. having a lift hook thereon, will serve the desired purpose. i l

The device of this invention can also be employed in the manner above described for tightening wires in fences or in emergencies to move automobiles, trucks, box cars and the like for relatively short distances.

in handling large pipes or the likeythe chain can be made longer by adding additional links or by coupling the chain of the wrench to regular conventional chains In this way, longer links of chain can be conby means of coupling pins or the like. These can be made removable so that they need not form a permanent part of the regular apparatus.

I am aware that many changes maybe made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ratcheting chain wrench, comprising'a cylindrical case having an opening therein, a sprocket rotatably mounted in the case, a chain comprising a series of links having one end fixed to and externally of the, case, the other end of the chain adapted to be inserted through the opening of the case for contact with the sprocket, the sprocket supported on a hub having a square opening there-through, a ratchet wrench handle, having a square protuberance adapted to be fitted into the square opening for turning of the sprocket, the ratchet wrench protuberance adapted to be inserted into the square opening in the hub from either side of the case, cover plates for the case, a hub integral with the sprocket for rotatable movement in central openings in the cover plates, one end of the hub extending beyond its supporting plate, a ratchet mounted on said extending end, an additional cover plate for enclosing'the ratchet, a pawlmounted in said additional cover, for cooperation withthe ratchet, the pawl being spring impelled into normal operating relationship with the ratchet, an eccentric for manually retracting the pawl against said spring for allowing free rotation of the ratchet, serrations on the outer face of the case and on the inner faces of the chain links for better. gripping of an object there-between, and a leaf spring onthe chain for normally retaining the same in noncollapsed position when not in use. a

2. A device as described in claim 1, wherein one end of the leaf spring is fastened about the fixed end of the chain, and inwardly extending projections on certain of the chain links for retaining the leaf spring in position thereon, certain of the serrations extending completely across the face of the chain, and transfer strips for said serrations.

3. A device as described intclaim 2, wherein a release element is provided for the ratchet, permitting a retarded withdrawal of the chain from the case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,062 Stuewe Oct. 30, 1917 1,353,568 ,Dillon Sept. 21, 1920 1,626,518 Douglass Apr. 26, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,285 Great Britain of 1895 

